Tony Pulis has spoken of his pride about the fact Crystal Palace will be in the top flight again next season after reaching 40 points tonight at Goodison Park.

The Eagles put a big dent in Everton’s Champions League hopes by becoming only the second team to beat them at home all season.

Jason Puncheon’s first half opener was added to early in the second half by Scott Dann, only for substitute Steven Naismith to get the hosts right back in it.

However, a rare goal from Cameron Jerome restored Palace’s two-goal cushion and although Kevin Mirallas pulled one back to set up a tense finale, Palace held on to hit the 40 point mark.

Pulis said: “The players have been absolutely fantastic. I’m proud of the players.

“I’ve just had a chat with them now and just said without their effort, commitment and buying into what we are trying to do, we wouldn’t have achieved it, irrespective of what people say we’ve done.

“Your players have got to buy into what you want to do.

“We’ve got good pace. It is a different team to the team I had at Stoke where we didn’t have the pace that we’ve got here so we have to move the ball as quick as we can through the pitch.

“I thought we did that really well today.”

The Selhurst chief added: “We had four points when we went to Hull so that’s a long time ago. It’s brilliant.

“I’m absolutely delighted for the supporters, for the football club and it is nice to say that we are going to be a Premier League club next year with four games to go, which is remarkable really. “It is important now that we focus on the four games left and get as many points as we can to end off the season.